He said protecting and enlarging forest resources are the priority of the state government.

To protect forests, the government will appoint 2,000 forest guards. Appointment of forest guards was not done since the past 30 years, but in 2017, the state government appointed 2,818 forest guards. The state government has launched Chief Minister Jan Van scheme. It is the government’s goal to plant 2.40 crore trees, Das said here.

Addressing the Van Mahotsav festival organized by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department at the new assembly complex, which is under construction, Das said that clean environment has declined and everyone has moral responsibility to make the state green.

Das said that in 2016, 2.57 crore trees were planted under a plantation programme and 2.66 crore trees were planted the following year. Plantation programme is a meaningful effort to cover 33 per cent of the state’s land by forest, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon said, Trees are an integral part of the environment. Trees are worshipped in the religious, cultural and geographical settlements of Jharkhand. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the Jan Van Scheme is successfully being implemented in the state.”

The chief minister, the Speaker and all others present on the occasion planted saplings.